Enthusiastic attendees at Sydney’s Cockle Bay witnessed an unexpected spectacle on Monday night when drones began tumbling from the sky.
Around 90 drones experienced technical failures during the 7:30 p.m. showing of Star-Bound, a highlight of the annual Vivid Sydney festival.
Observers captured video of the drones, initially in a double helix formation, as they lost their structure and descended.
In total, 89 drones plummeted, primarily into the water, although ABC News noted that some were seen crashing onto the marina wharf.
Thankfully, no injuries have been reported. A representative for Vivid Sydney assured SBS News that, as far as they are aware, all drones remained within the designated exclusion zone.
There were around 1,000 drones in total used in the display, intended to showcase natural patterns in the universe.
Radio frequency ‘anomaly’
SkyMagic, the UK company that put on the drone show, told SBS News the malfunction was caused by an “unforeseen change in the radio frequency”.
“This anomaly caused a number of drones in the fleet to enact fail-safe landing procedures in response to compromised positional accuracy.”
None of the drones escaped the show’s safety boundary, the company said, adding that those that ran into the geofence boundary — a virtual perimeter that restricts where drones can fly — had “shut down to preserve the safety zone resulting in them falling into the water”.
The company said the issue wasn’t encountered during testing, rehearsal and “pre-flight checks performed immediately before take-off”.
“During/mid-flight, the system reacted appropriately and safely as did the pilots and crew,” it said.
A Vivid Sydney spokesperson said public safety was “always the number one priority”.
“The specialist operators identified a technical issue and made the decision to safely discontinue the show in line with standard safety protocols,” the spokesperson said.
“We apologise for the disappointment and inconvenience caused to attendees.”
Several upcoming shows cancelled
Two Star-Bound shows were due to be held nearly every night from Sunday to Wednesday during the festival, which runs from 22 May until 13 June.
Shows planned for Tuesday and Wednesday this week have now been cancelled to allow time for a full assessment, the Vivid Sydney spokesperson said.
SBS News understands that a decision is yet to be made about shows from Sunday 31 May onwards.
In the lead-up to the festival, NSW Jobs and Tourism Minister Steve Kamper said Star-Bound was the “biggest drone show program in Vivid Sydney’s history”.
He also described SkyMagic as a “world-leading” company and said it was responsible for “some of the most complex and awe-inspiring drone displays ever seen on the planet”.
“Sydney Harbour will become a living canvas of light, movement and storytelling, and whether you’re bringing the kids for the first time or enjoying a night out with friends, Star-Bound will offer a unique and memorable experience for all.”
For those in attendance during Monday’s malfunction, it likely was quite a memorable experience, but perhaps not for the reasons Kamper envisioned.
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